Hair clip



M. V. DUELL March 20, 1962 HAIR CLIP Filed Feb. 26, 1959 INVENTOR Morgan V DuH BY TTORNEY 3,625,581 HATE CLIP Morgan V. Duell, Qalrville, Qonm, assignor to Sco /ill Manufacturing Qornpany, Waterbury, Conn, 21 corpora= tion of Qonnecticut 'Fiied Feb. 26, 1959, Ser. No, 795,763 2 Claims, (El. 24'-259) This invention relates to hair clips and more particularly to one that is capable of maintaining the hair in the form of a curl.

The general objects of this invention are to provide a hair clip which is easier to manufacture; which will be more convenient to use; and more reliable in performing its function especially after repeated use over a long period of time.

The above and other objects will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a one-piece hair clip embodying my new invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the same;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing the clip in open position;

FIG. 5 is a left-end View of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that the hair clip is made from a single piece of sheet material suitably stamped, sheared and formed to provide an upper jaw Ill and an opposite lower jaw ll. connected at their operating ends by a pair of spaced resilient loops 12 of circular form. The upper jaws consist of a pair of parallel fingers 13 spaced apart to provide an elongated opening or slot 14 therebetween and joined together adjacent their outer ends by a connecting bar 15. Each of the fingers 13 are formed with upwardly raised longitudinal ribs 16 to give strength to said fingers. The lower jaw 11 likewise consists of a pair of parallel fingers 17 with an elongated opening 18 therebetween and strengthened by downwardly formed elongated ribs 19. The lower fingers, however, lack the connecting bar 15 associated with the upper fingers 13 for the purpose of facilitating the penetration of the lower jaw into the pin curls.

In order to operate the hair clip, a pair of handleforming tongues 29 and 21 are provided which are associated respectively with the upper and lower jaws and 1 and project beyond the resilient loops 12 in the opposite direction from said jaws.

The lower handle-forming tongue 21 consists of metal cut from between the spring loops 12 and bent downwardly to a plane common with the lower jaw 11. The upper handle-forming tongue 20 likewise is formed from the metal cut out from between the fingers 13 and is reversibly bent from the inner end of the slot 14 closest to the loops l2 and thus provides the slot 14 in said upper jaw 10. The handle-forming tongue 20 is first formed into a loop 22 the is connected to the upper jaw 10 ahead of the loops 12, then into a downwardly formed V-shaped portion 23 and terminates in a straight thumbengaging section 24. The upper handle-forming tongue ice 20 is straightened by an elongated rib 25 extending through the entire length of the V-shaped section 23. Where the rib 25 passes around the apex of the V-shaped section 23, a bearing point 26 is provided that is "adapted to rest against the upper surface of the lower handleforming tongue 21 and acts as a fulcrum when the two handle tongues are pressed towards each other in opening the jaws of the hair clip.

It will be noted from FIG. 4 that the fulcrum point 26 engages the lower handle tongue 21 approximately in a vertical plane common with the points where the connecting loops 12 connect with the lower jaw 11, and the upper handle tongue 20 is connected to the upper jaw 10 at a point a substantial distance in front of said loops. Thus, when the handle tongues 26 and 21 are operated for opening the jaws, said upper handle tongue 2% acts as a first-class lever imparting swinging movement to the upper jaws 10 relative to the lower jaws 11.

One form of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification but it will be apparent that changes may be made to the disclosed structure without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A one-piece resilient metal clip construction having opposing elongated upper and lower jaws, a pair of spaced resilient loops connecting the jaws at one end and a pair of handle-forming upper and lower tongues projecting beyond the resilient loops in the opposite direction from said jaws, the lower tongue being substantially equal to the width and length of the space between said resilient lops whereby it may consist of metal cut from between said loops and lying substantially in a common plane with said lower jaws, the upper of said jaws having a longitudinally extending central slot and the upper of said tongues being of substantially the same length and Width as said slot whereby it may be formed of metal cut to make such slot, said upper tongue being reversely bent from the end of slot closest to said loops and with its point of attachment to the upper jaw in front of said loops, said upper tongue being of V-shape on its longitudinal axis with the apex of the V bearing on the bottom tongue to form a fulcrum so that said upper tongue acts as a first-class lever whereby when the tongues are pressed together the jaws may be opened.

2. A one-piece .resilent metal clip as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper handle-forming tongue is formed with an elongated rib, the point where said rib passes around the apex of the V-shaped section forming a bearing point resting upon the surface of the lower handle-forming tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,927 Amrnen Oct. 20, 1953 2,793,644 Todfield May 28, 1957 2,799,281 Leon July 16, 1957 2,838,056 Kertesz June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 475,736 Italy Nov. 13, 1952 497,755 Canada Nov. 17, 1953 

